Okay, so we have all read the lessons, articles and blogs about how much better life is with a clean home. It used to get under my skin because my home wasn't what it should be. It was always a mess. Even if it looked clean for a party or something, there was always some back corner where I dumped everything that didn't have a home. But not anymore!
On December 23rd, 2011 we finished our den, by the next day we were mostly moved in. On the 26th we painted and arranged Vinny's room and had him moved in the next day. Everyone was finally in their place. But not the things.
We started (Dan's idea) to take everything out of the rooms that didn't belong and we put them into the front room. Needless to say it's been a disaster for months, but slowly and surely I got each room cleaned. Including drawers and cupboards, shelves and bins until the only major mess was our living room/dinning room.
Well my Grandma Joy was coming into town this week and I wanted her to see the amazing den that my dad helped us design and bring together. But I couldn't have her see that mess of a room. So I knuckled down this last week and plowed through the mess until, miracles of miracles, my house is finally a home.
Do you have any idea how good it feels to take over 10 car loads to goodwill or to other people who need it? 10 car loads NOT IN MY HOUSE ANYMORE!!!
My boys rooms are clean, everything has a place. Vinny even has a study corner with his own desk to work on "homework".
We can eat together at the DINNER table, not the coffee table. We have a great room out front for the kids to play in and watch TV and movies, we have an awesome den for hanging out. We have a laundry room where is there is more laundry in the washer and dryer than on the floor (pathetic, I know).
The only things left are sorting Vinny's old clothes into storage for Will, our bedroom and Will's closet (full of clothes he is going to fit in soon) Little jobs I can take one day at a time.
I have been so relaxed today, knowing I have some work to do when I get home, but no big messing, nothing crazy. It is amazing how calm and relaxed I feel. And coming into good weather (hopefully soon!) I will be able to get out and work in my yard, which has been severely neglected for the piles of housework over the years. I will have time to go out and get work done and make it the yard I want to spend time in.
And to keep up with this, I made a calender with scheduled days for certain tasks like laundry, sweeping, dusting, etc. I have systems in place to help the kids clean up after themselves to save me extra work. It is just so wonderful to feel this way.
I will NOT let myself go back to what my home used to be!
